WALKING TALL – Rafael Triana (left) and Orestes Minguez, both of West New York, hold proclamations they received from North Bergen honoring them. With them is Beatriz Wiley, North Bergen Hispanic Affairs representative. Triana was recognized for authoring the book “Densa y Sensual” and Minguez was honored for civic activism.

Union City is providing seniors and any other residents with cooling sites to endure the high temperature days of this upcoming heat wave. The cooling areas will be at the following locations and times: Uptown, Union City Senior Citizen Housing Building, 3700 Palisade Ave., in the Community Room. Downtown, the Bruce Walter Recreation Center, 5th and West streets, and the William V. Musto Cultural Center, 420 15th St. The service is in effect from Thursday, May 30 through Saturday, June 2 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Free health seminar on June 6

A free health seminar on weight-loss surgical options will be held on Thursday, June 6, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Palisades Medical Center, 7600 River Rd., North Bergen.

The featured speaker will be Stefanie Vaimakis, MD, FACS, FASMBS, a board-certified surgeon, fellowship-trained in advanced laparoscopy and bariatric surgery.

More than 60 percent of the U.S. population is overweight, and about 30 percent are classified as obese, according to Vaimakis. There are many surgical options for people who have been unable to achieve significant weight loss through diet and exercise. This event will address them.

Those attending must check in at 6:30. The seminar will run from 7 to 9, and will be presented in English and Spanish.

There will be free refreshments and parking. Free transportation will be available from 60th Street and Bergenline Avenue starting at 5:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Nikki Mederos at (201) 854-5702.

Meadowlands Hospital receives state order to hire financial consultant

Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center in Secaucus has been directed by the New Jersey Department of Health to appoint a financial consultant to assist in preparing a report on the viability of the hospital through next year, according to a posting on NJ.com.

The for-profit hospital must also release to the Department of Health missing financial records and an annual report, as outlined in a letter from the state. The financial consultant Meadowlands hires must be approved by the state and paid for by the hospital.

In the last six months, the state has twice fined the hospital $6,000 for not complying with the release of the requested records. The levies were paid, but Meadowlands has failed to file a 2011 annual report, a state health department spokeswoman said.

The consultant must also review the hospital’s financial plan for the next few years to ascertain whether the facility can achieve a 1 percent profit margin from December of this year into 2017, according to a recent letter from Deputy Health Commissioner William Conroy. Also, Meadowlands must demonstrate to the Department of Health that it will have funds available to continue operating until the end of next year.

“We fully expect financial credibility and stability will be clearly exhibited,” said Meadowlands President and CEO Lynn McVey.